In the midst of burnout from zoom classes, I have been seeking out ways to relieve my stress without looking at a screen. These are a few of my favorite crafts for the fall that help my mind find creative rest!
Crafting is a great way to let the mind wander creatively while still having a productive element. The best part of crafting for me is the process, not necessarily the end product, which is something that we do not always allow ourselves to focus on in American society. These crafts are some of my favorite process oriented projects: collage art, granny squares, perler beads, and canvas/tape painting.
Collage art is a great way to process your aesthetic or possible future goals through a “vision board.” All you need are some magazines to cut pictures from, poster paper, and a glue stick to get started. You can also embellish with stickers and glitter if you want. This is all about you and what you want for yourself so feel free to add all the glam your heart desires! Here is an example of a collage art I made about my future goals of being a teacher/artist.
Good ol’ Granny Squares! Yarn craft will always have my heart, but crochet granny squares give me a special kind of peace and comfort above all. If you crochet, this can be a great way to work on a small project that builds into a larger project, such as a blanket, over time.
I like to use whatever yarn I have, an H/8 hook, and begin making one colorful square a night until I have a tall stack of squares. You can also plan ahead to follow a color scheme, but again, this is your creative endeavor. Next, I arrange them on the floor next to each other to see which squares I find aesthetically pleasing next to one another. Then, I begin sewing or joining them together while repeating this process until the project is the size of my liking.Â
There is always something comforting when I am warmed by the yarn blanket that I have made over times in my life when I needed respite from stress.
Perler bead crafting is something that is incredibly nostalgic to me as a 90s kid. These little crafts are small peg board shapes that you can fill with colorful beads, place wax paper over, and then fuse the beads together with an iron. I remember making many of these with my mother as a child and now as a college student, I still find joy in placing beads in a pattern of my own. This is a place of play and patience as the beads are tiny, however, this really helps me breathe out the stress while awakening my inner child.
Canvas/tape painting is a cool and unique gift to yourself (or a friend, the lucky duck!). The process begins by placing a cutout shape on the canvas. Then, you tape it down with strips of painter’s tape or washi tape. Next, you use a paint brush, painting over all of it to then let it dry. Finally, gently peel the tape off of your canvas to reveal the “negative” space underneath in the shapes you placed. I want you all to enjoy the pleasure of creating your own canvas/tape painting, so I will further walk you through the process in detail!
Materials you will need:Â
- Canvas or painting paper base
- Washi tape or painter’s tape
- A cut out shape (you can find a shape you like using Google Images, copy/paste on word document, print it, and cut it out)
- Acrylic paint in the colors of your choice
- A paint brush (sponge works well too)
Instructions:
1.Place the cut out where you want it to be on your canvas.
2. Tape strips across all of the canvas, making sure to tape the cut out down in at least two places.
3. Continue to tape the canvas at many angles until you are pleased with the design.
4. Choose your paint colors, paint over the tape and cut out (carefully as to not rip it). Paint each negative space in the color of your choice. Blending colors is a fun option to tap into your inner “Impressionist!”
5. Let dry.
6. Carefully peel the tape and cut out off the canvas.
7. Add final embellishments to your pattern (such as painting veins to your leaf, or a smile to your pumpkin, etc.)
8. Voila! You have a beautiful picture to hang on your wall. (Example painted by my lovely mother)
Overall, I hope that you have fun crafting and creating! I believe art is for everyone, and if these crafts just are not your thing, that is no problem. There is a whole library of creative ideas on YouTube, Pinterest, and crafter websites.
Some of my favorite free resources are:
Mollie Makes https://www.gathered.how/magazines-mollie-makes/
Bella Coco https://www.youtube.com/c/BellaCoco/about
Purl Soho https://www.purlsoho.com/